The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (Nimasa) introduced a new cabotage compliance strategy (NCSS) on Friday which prohibits the employment of foreigners in certain positions within the country’s maritime sector.
Nimasa’s director general, Dakuku Peterside, noted that this decision would help the country achieve a successful coastal and inland trade regime by securing jobs for qualified Nigerians in the sector.
“The agency will no longer consider applications for a waiver on manning requirements for vessels engaged in coastal trade with regards to second officer, second engineer, second mate down to able seamen, ratings and stewards,” he said.
Peterside added that special applications would be considered for the positions of captain, chief engineer, chief officer and first mate in the absence of qualified Nigerians as long as the organisation doing so planned to train someone from the country to take over that position within a year.
Nimasa’s head of corporate communications, Isichei Osamgbi, added that this was “to ensure that Nigerians are not deprived of the jobs due to them on showing the requisite qualifications for the job”.
